1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine that can protect a control unit thereof against tampering and a foreign matter getting thereinto.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, gaming machines that execute various table games are known. Among these gaming machines, there are machines in which the games are hosted by a dealer, and machines in which the games are hosted by a computer in place of the dealer.
In such a gaming machine, for example, in a case where a display is provided on an upper face side thereof, as with a gaming machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2007/0026947, a control unit that controls the game is housed inside a cabinet, below the display and an operating unit.
With such a gaming machine, there was a problem in that, if a player playing a game while drinking a beverage spilled the beverage on the gaming machine, liquid may enter a portion housing the control unit through a narrow gap between the display or the operating unit and the cabinet, and lead to a serious problem such as breakdown of the control unit.
In addition, since a player can easily access the control unit by removing the display and the operating unit, there has been a problem in that the control unit is highly likely to be tampered.
Given this, the present invention aims at providing a gaming machine that can protect a control unit thereof against tampering and foreign matter getting thereinto.
Moreover, in a gaming machine, various rendering devices such as speakers, lamps and the like are provided in order to enhance a rendered effect.
Here, the rendering devices of the gaming machine installed in a hall and the like have often been subject to various destructive acts. Such a destructive act includes, for example, a malicious act of inserting foreign matter into a perforation for emitting sound in a speaker, and destruction of a decorative member made of resin, which is weak relative to other parts in the cabinet.
In a case where a part of the gaming machine is destroyed by such a destructive act, or where a lamp for decoration is out due to the end of the life span thereof and the like, replacement of the part or the lamp is necessary.
In such a case, since the speaker and the lamp for decoration do not affect progression of a game, the gaming machine itself can continue operating. However, in a case of repair or maintenance of the gaming machine, it is necessary to temporarily stop operation of the gaming machine.
Particularly, for a gaming machine installed in a hall such as a 24-hour casino, it is difficult to frequently perform repair or maintenance. In addition, repair or maintenance must be performed in a short period of time where a player is not playing a game thereon, or by asking a player playing a game to temporarily stop playing thereon.
On the other hand, in a case of such a gaming machine, the same cabinet may be used for different kinds of games. In such a case, a gaming machine is desired in which decorations such as a lamp and an optional module can be easily replaced in accordance with a game being provided thereon.
Given this, the present invention aims at providing a gaming machine with high versatility that can be easily repaired or maintained.